Finding Light in the Darkness

Tag Archives: WWII veteran

The worst part is the eviction is coming from an unlikely place…his daughter and son in law. With so many people suffering around the world due to the financial crisis, so many people have come together to help their fellow man in this time of need without any incentive to do so. To all those everyday heroes, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. The man above of course is not my grandpa, but refers to himself on YouTube as grandpa who reminds me of my grandfather and other men who dutifully served their country in its greatest hour of need. It tugs at my heart strings to see the payback veterans of wars and let’s be honest the elderly in general get which is zilch. Sometimes people look at them as a forgotten relic of history inching every closer to deaths door (just look at nursing homes), however I see them as an insight into the past and the greatest story tellers. Some witnessed, participated and influenced the greatest moments in history and hold true to oral traditions the way they happen not the way we as Americans hear it. So a tribute to the man above is in order, I want to tell his story in hopes of everyday heroes coming to this humble mans rescue with help from an AOL article.

While scrolling through the myriad of articles on AOL, I happened upon this man’s story. Why did it touch me so? I have a grandfather like everyone else and like his granddaughter I have had to deal with feuding among family member over sorry to say some really stupid things. My goal as I am sure her goal is to ensure his quality of life remains the same and stays surrounded by the memories built in his home and not what works for everyone else. According to the article, a family feud between father and daughter could leave this 91 year old World War II veteran out on the street after his daughter gained ownership of his southern Ohio home and served him with eviction papers. His granddaughter, Jaclyn Fraley, is trying to keep him in his home he built as the deadline approaches on June 12.

The back story seems even more tragic. Fraley told AOL that when the elderly Potter fell ill he signed over his power of attorney then transferred his Zaleski, Ohio home to his daughter, Janice Cottrill (Fraley’s mother) in 2004. The man built his home 54 years ago according to WCMH-TV in Columbus. When Cottrill took custody of her autistic brother who was living in the home with the elderly Potter, a feud erupted between Cottrill and Potter over visitation rights ending in Cottrill serving Potter with eviction papers. His granddaughter sees how much it hurts her grandfather and has not spoken to her mother except through her lawyers over the past two years. When the two went to court to try and get the home back, the court sided with Cottrill in a May 2012 decision saying the statue of limitations had expired. The judge is expected to hand down an eviction time frame to Potter on June 12 according to AOL.

Both Janice Cottrill and her husband Dean declined to comment as their attorney, Lorene Johnston, told AOL that the two are “attempting to stir up public sentiment for themselves.” The craziest part of the story as most attorney would say is the case has been reduced to nothing more than a “a simple eviction process for someone who doesn’t own the home and doesn’t pay any rent.” Call me crazy but the man own the home and built it so I am confused. Dean Cottrill did say to WCMH that Potter had filed suit against him and Janice for visitation rights with his song and “For him to stay in that home, it is real simple. Leave Joe alone and stop the lawsuits.” Imagine a father that wants to see his son…hmmmmm…oh yeah this old man deserved everything he gets for being a good dad (I am being sarcastic if you could not tell).

Here is where the help comes in pay attention. Now the granddaughter (pictured left with grandpa) has decided to try and raise the money to keep her grandfather in his house. The goal is $125,000 so she can buy back the house from her mother, so far she has raised as of Wednesday evening $9,442 through donations and a lot of support. She’s set up a fundraising site on GoFundMe.com and says her grandfather is overwhelmed with the support he has received so far. “I hope he gets his house back, and lives out his best years in his house,” donor John Pirrone wrote on Fraley’s fundraising page. “Thank you for coming through for us in WWII, I hope that we can come through for you,” wrote donor Robert Sharpe. One veteran even donated $1,000 to her effort, she said. “The veterans community has been overwhelmingly supportive,” Fraley said. “To see this go almost viral, it’s what happens when one of your wildest dreams come true.” Thank you AOL for reporting on this as the news doesn’t report enough about the good people are doing on a daily basis. If you would like to help out this grandpa representing all of our elderly, please go to the site underneath the YouTube video and pledge your support.